Study: Dangerous Bacteria Found in Almost Half of Hospital Rooms

A hospital is a place of healing, but a new small study shows that drug-resistant bacteria may be lurking in some hospital rooms.

Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine found Acinetobacter baumannii, a drug-resistant bacteria known as MDR-AB, in 48 percent of the hospital rooms tested in their study.

MSNBC reports the researchers tested surfaces for the MDR-AB bacterium in 50 hospital rooms between October 2008 and January 2009.

They found that 20 percent of supply carts, 16 percent of floors, 14 percent of infusion pumps and 11.4 percent of ventilator touch pads were contaminated with the bacteria. Even shower curtains in private and semi-private rooms showed traces of the bacteria.

The researchers say this study demonstrates that surfaces believed to be clean could actually be dirty.

Acinetobacter baumanniii can lead to pneumonia and bacteremia, as well as urinary tract infections, secondary meningitis and other kinds of infections, according to Medscape.

Extremely ill people are the most likely to be infected with the bacteria, especially if their immune systems are depressed or they've suffered a major trauma or burn.